


I Feel The Light

by maelstromdeparture



Series: Spirit of the Sea [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Arson, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Brotherhood, Burns, Escape, Fantasy, Historical Inaccuracy, I'm not sure how to explain this???, Kinda?, Magic, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Pillaging, Plundering, Prophecy, Prophetic Dreams, Prophetic Visions, Running Away, Slavery, Violence, all that good pirate stuff, but they're pirates they aren't nice, chan's like a pirate ghost story, changbin's a thief, he's also kinda magic, i clearly don't know how to tag, i know nothing about sailing this is very innacurate, is it running away?, jisung has like slightly apocalyptic future revealing visions, oh boy the tags for this are gonna be kinda wild, the british pirates aren't very nice but since when was the british empire ever nice?, there's like slight racism i think?, there's no slurs or anything so maybe that didn't need to be tagged, this is slightly more graphic than i normally write, um, why did I write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26507863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maelstromdeparture/pseuds/maelstromdeparture
Summary: The Levanter is a ghost story. A thousand stories are told of the Levanter, but no one has ever seen the crew. Pirates and Navy alike fear the Levanter, for she moves through the sea with a speed and silence unlike any living ship.The skeleton crew of the Levanter is small, but they are family. They sail the world looking for the rest of their crew, unknowing of when and where they will find them, just that they are looking for them. Looking for a purpose and a sense of freedom they could never find anywhere else. The Levanter is a pirate ship, but it is also home.clearly i don't know how to summary. i'm sorry. here's what you need to knowthere are piratesthere are piratey thingsthere's a little arson a lot of pillaging and plunderingand general stray kids shenanigans
Series: Spirit of the Sea [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1927246
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67





	I Feel The Light

**Author's Note:**

> uh so. i may have crocheted a panda bear stuffed animal and watched two and half pirates of the Caribbean movies this weekend and this might be the result. 
> 
> this will be a series. this is the Minho back story because that's the one i finished first :) 
> 
> the warnings for this fic are a little wild.  
> WARNGINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
> -please please read. this is super super important there's like legit warnings for this fic pls proceed with caution if you are not comfortable with stuff  
> \- um so oh boy here we go  
> \- arson  
> \- graphic violence  
> \- like actual graphic violence  
> \- uh like, there might be some burning with hot irons, actual branding (in a revenge sort of way if that makes sense) someone's arms my be violently broken (none of the skz members. i mean there's some hurt but it's off screen so to speak.)  
> \- there's some slight homicide  
> \- um as in at least one entire inn and a ship?  
> \- referenced past abuse  
> \- referenced past rape  
> \- referenced past forced prostitution  
> \- kidnapping  
> \- kidnapping into slavery  
> \- there might be references to selling your own kid?  
> \- death threats  
> \- their pirates they're not nice and the world isn't nice around them  
> \- i can't remember if there's slight racism in this one or in the next one, but there's a little bit just like throughout because in theory this is loosely based around the british empire time period and the british empire wasn't exactly known for being good about that sort of thing (there's not like slurs or anything and i think it's minor? there's no outright discrimination)  
> \- mentions of starvation  
> \- there's a little tiny bit of homophobia. like as in other pirates acknowledging that the general population and the navy are homophobic kind of way 
> 
> i think that's it. oh i really hope that's it. the back stories for this series are kind of dark. so like be prepared for that. the fics themselves aren't very dark but the back stories. oh boy. brace yourselves 
> 
> if i have missed something that needs a warning please please tell me. there was so much that i'm really not sure i got it all. 
> 
> i think that's all the important stuff so enjoy! :D

The Levanter is one of the most feared crews, it’s tales are told in quiet whispers by sailors of all kinds. It’s ruthless and vengeful and practically a ghost on the water. No one can pin point members of the crew. Just that the captain’s eyes are as big and dark as the ocean’s depths and his hair full of the waves of the sea as well, bleached blonde by the sun, that they wore solid black bandanas and sashes and the crew was all but undead. There were a thousand tales of the Levanter, but the popular ones were that there was some sort of magician on board, that they were basically a ghost ship though no crew member was dead. Which meant when it docked in the Port of New Charles the small town hadn’t truly believed that they were being visited by famous pirates, just the usual kind of pirate that docked in their bay, spent a couple nights getting drunk and then sailed on off on their way to Tortuga or an actual pirate port. The British pirates that were visiting were much more well known and intimidating than the small pirate ship manned by a crew of three. The British captain had seen the crew of three walk into the inn and had looked them over. They were very young, though all three looked as if they were accustomed to life at sea, happier than most pirates were. One of them had gold and silver trimming his sash but that was the only identifier that made him different from the other two. So they either weren’t very successful or he was actually a humble captain.

“You lot look awful young for a crew even a pirate crew,” he called waving them over to join him and his closer crew mates at the table once they’d talked to the inn keeper to get their drinks and apparently food. The three exchanged a quick look at each other before walking over towards them.

“We ain’t that young, mate,” said Chan shaking his head.

“Where are you lot from? You don’t look much like you’re from around here,” said his quartermaster cocking his head. “Definitely seen kids that look like you lot sold off and around by pirates, merchants, and navy alike.” The youngest looking boy with squishy cheeks grimaced slightly at that. He looked the softest but when he reached up to shove food into his mouth the short sleeves he was wearing made the nasty five centimeters wide scars on both his wrists glaringly obvious. Someone had put the kid through hell, and he was probably with the captain that saved him. That was dangerous. That was a kind of loyalty that was completely unbreakable, the kind of loyalty that would have a crewmate jumping in front of a bullet and then continuing to fight until they stopped breathing to save their captain.

“We’re from about,” said Chan, “one from Bahia Dolorosa, one from Tortuga.”

“You don’t look Spanish, kid,” said one of the British pirates looking at Jisung.

“’m not,” said Jisung around the mouthful of food. “m’parents sold me off to the Spaniards as a toddler. My parents were Korean, I speak the language but I don’t remember the country or the people. Changbin’s were pirates they died and he ended up at Tortuga.”

“Sung’s first mate,” offered Chan. Which was interesting and certainly smart on the captain’s part. 

“Ah you’re the youngest of the three of you then,” said the quartermaster looking at Changbin.

“Nah, that’s me,” said Jisung, “by a whole year. Bin-hyung doesn’t speak much English.”

“And you? Where do you call home?” asked the captain looking at Chan.

“The ocean,” said Chan, “though I suspect you’re asking about my accent. I’m not British, mate. My mum’s Australian, don’t have a dad, though he was probably Korean.”

“Because both your crew mates are so you are too in solidarity?” asked the British captain raising an eyebrow.

“Because I grew up speaking the language, mate,” said Chan rolling his eyes and tipping back his cup to drink from it.

“You lot even old enough to drink?” asked the quartermaster.

“Old enough for a lot of things,” said Jisung catching the wrist of the man sitting beside him. “Try that again and see where it gets you.” Chan’s eyes cloud over and he looks at the captain.

“If your crew doesn’t behave you will find your ship burning in the dock tonight,” said Chan.

“Relax, have some more to drink, boys, there’s very little a crew of your size matters to us,” said the captain rolling his eyes. “And don’t worry about your boy. Henderson is much more interested in the ladies down the street.”

“Aye, that’s true enough. It’s about time I gave old Isabel a visit,” said the pirate nodding and standing. A second pirate stood as well and the two stumbled off down to the brothel.

“What about you three? Fancy yourself a lady in port?” asked the quartermaster smirking. “I bet they all love the three of you.”

“Ain’t particularly interested in ladies,” said Chan absently. “Not particularly interested in anyone truthfully, don’t see the point without feelings and shit being involved and I don’t exactly have time for that.”

“Hyung agrees,” said Jisung nodding his head Changbin’s direction. “And I just ain’t into ladies.”

“A sodomite. You lot really are destined for hell,” said the British captain raising an eyebrow.

“And you reek of ex-navy so you’re either the Queen’s lap dog or you’re a traitor,” said Chan shrugging. “Don’t see how it matters who we let on our crew or not, you wouldn’t make the cut. I don’t take traitors.”

“If you were going for an insult you’ll have to try harder. The people of Bahia Dolorosa called me _hijo del diablo_ ,” said Jisung uncaring. “My disinterest in the opposite sex doesn’t make much of an insult after that.”

“You’re in the right inn if you’ve got an interest in the same sex though,” said the British Captain, “none of my crew is particularly inclined, but I’ve heard tell of the inn keeper having a boy for the right price, one that’s prettier than any woman in the world.”

“Now that’s interesting,” said Chan cocking his head. “ _The inn keeper’s got a whore for people that pay the right price. A boy prettier than any woman in the world. Who wants to take bets on slavery?_ ”

“ _I’ll take that bet. You don’t see him down here, do ya? Tied up in a room somewhere for sure,_ ” agreed Changbin nodding.

“ _Yah, hyung is right,_ ” agreed Jisung nodding. “ _The place reeks of corruption and not the good kind. The really shitty kind of corruption. Like Bahia._ ”

“How does one reach said price?” asked Chan, “out of curiosity.”

“Just need to ask,” said the inn keeper setting down another round of drinks and smiling at them, looking them over. “You interested in my other accommodations? He’s a favorite of the navy and merchants that stop in this port, not many other options if you don’t fancy the brothel down the street.”

“I don’t believe you,” stated Chan absently, “wouldn’t pay for something without seeing it first. Besides we’ve got better things to do than pay an inn keeper for a night with a whore.”

“You want to see the brat first, fine,” said the inn keeper shrugging. “But I’ll charge double for the night.” Next to Chan Jisung’s eyes glazed over slightly and he blinked rapidly, reaching for Chan’s wrist. The captain didn’t spare him a glance, just adjusted the younger’s grip so that it was on his sash and his hands were still free. Seconds later Jisung’s eyes cleared and he gave the inn keeper a disgusted look.

“ _We need to see the boy,_ ” he told Chan, “ _it’s bad._ ”

“Fine, we’ll see your whore,” said Chan standing up, “but if I’m right we won’t pay you a cent.”

“Fair enough,” said the inn keeper nodding and leading the way to the stairs.

“Have fun boys,” called the British captain raising his mug in a salute. The three didn’t spare the British a second glance following the inn keeper up the stairs. The inn keeper unlocked a door and the four of them piled into a tiny room. There was a bed in it and a boy about their age bound tightly to it, a metal ring had been forced into his mouth to keep it open, he was covered in bruises, looked like he was starving, and he was crying. He looked dead inside. He didn’t have a shirt and his pants were thin gauzy material, easily ripable or removed. There are numbers branded into his hipbone clearly visible, 032517. And an intricate brand matching the symbol on the inn’s sign was burned into his left wrist. Jisung moved over to the bed and the boy writhed trying to get away from him, he ran his thumb over the brand frowning.

“This is yours?” he asked the inn keeper.

“Of course,” said the inn keeper nodding. “If I rent him out for a night they need to know where to return him to.”

“ _Did he just say he branded a human being?_ ” hissed Changbin.

“ _He did,_ ” said Chan nodding. “ _Ji, cut him loose, he’s going with us. Bin, find me that fucking brand._ ” Changbin turned leaving the room and hurrying off down the halls to follow instruction. Recognition flickered in the boy’s eyes at the language, he was Korean. Jisung pulled his dagger out.

“What do you think you’re doing?” demanded the inn keeper, “he stays tied down or you will have a hell of a time getting him to do anything.” Jisung cut the ropes loose and the boy pulled his wrists to his chest curling tightly into a ball. The inn keeper started forward angrily only to stop when he heard a gun cock.

“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” said Chan, “ _Ji, is there enough rope there to tie him up?_ ”

“ _Aye, captain,_ ” said Jisung nodding and immediately working free the rope. He tossed it to Chan who started tying the captain’s hands behind his back.

“He’s going to freeze in the rain, hyung,” said Jisung. “Can you stand?”

“It doesn’t speak English,” said the inn keeper rolling his eyes.

“ _He acted like he recognized Korean, try,_ ” said Chan to Jisung shoving the inn keeper harshly. “And I’m pretty sure that’s a man not an it, bastard.”

“ _Do you have anything you want to bring with you? Can you stand?_ ” asked Jisung looking at the boy who shook his head quickly. Chan shrugged and pulled the jacket the inn keeper was wearing off and then retied the man’s hands behind his back tighter than before, tossing the jacket to Jisung who managed to manhandle the other into a sitting position and get the coat around his shoulders. Changbin joined skidded to a stop in the doorway.

“ _It’s in the store room downstairs, are we making an example of him?_ ” asked Changbin.

“ _Yes,_ ” said Chan nodding. “ _Let’s go._ Move, fucker, we’re going downstairs.” He pushed the barrel of his pistol harshly into the inn keeper’s back. “Ji, can you get him upright and moving?”

“ _Yes, captain,_ ” said Jisung nodding and quickly pulling the boy’s arm over his shoulders and getting him up onto his feet. Chan shoved the inn keeper around and Changbin led the way down the stairs.

“Don’t just stand there get the guard,” demanded the inn keeper of his employees. Both young employees just looked back and forth between the inn keeper, the pirates, the patrons, and then the boy.

“I’d get out,” said Jisung voluntarily. “Gonna go boom.”

“Don’t you dare light my building on fire,” yelled the inn keeper.

“You have bigger problems than whether or not your inn stands when we’re done. You’re not making it out alive either way,” said Chan shoving the man towards the bar. “ _Get the brand. Seems poetic, yeah? Ji, make sure he’s okay, get ready to torch the place._ ” Changbin nodded and jumped up and over the bar to get into the back store room. Jisung wrapped his arm tightly around the other boy, keeping him upright and grabbed one of the lanterns off the wall to smash against the ground. Patrons scattered out the door, stampeding in an attempt to get out before the pirates lit the place on fire. The employees behind the bar spared their employer a slightly pitying glance before joining the patrons in an attempt to escape. Changbin reappeared from the back room carrying a red hot branding iron. The man immediately started trying to escape only to have Chan pin him to the counter. He started screaming loudly, trying to get anyone to help him.

“ _Where?_ ” asked Changbin immune to the man’s begging. There were a handful of patrons in the inn still, either drunk or pirates enjoying the show.

“ _Mmm, under each eye? Over his mouth?_ ” suggested Chan, “ _oi, what do you think? Sound good?_ ” Jisung nudges the boy slightly.

“ _He’s talking to you, not me,_ ” he said and the boy looked up wide eyed and frightened. Something dark flickered over his face, realizing that Chan and Changbin were intending to harm the man with the very mark he had used to own him. He nodded and Changbin smirked and pressed the brand firmly against the man’s face. The inn keeper screamed and thrashed as Chan held him down. The boy slumped harder into Jisung but didn’t take his eyes off the man, who thrashed on the counter in agonizing pain as Changbin and Chan worked together to brand his face under each eye and over his mouth. When they were done Changbin dropped the brand to the floor and Chan wrestled the man upright, yanking harshly on his arms, both shoulders popping and the man screaming in agony as Chan pulled his arms in a way that was physically impossible without pulling them out of the socket. He picked up a knife off the counter behind the bar and stabbed it firmly into the wood of the bar and through the rope holding the man’s hands together, leaving him trapped and slumped against the bar.

“ _Let’s clear out before the guard actually comes to save the bastard,_ ” said Chan brushing his hands off and shoving his pistol back into it’s place. “ _We need to move quickly, I’ll carry him, torch the place._ ” Jisung passed the boy off to Chan who didn’t bother to help him remain on his feet and just scooped the thin boy up into his arms, he weighed next to nothing. The boy flinched and his entire body was trembling but he didn’t try to fight. Changbin pulled his own pistol out in case they needed it while Jisung smashed the lantern to the floor, the floor caught fire around them, Chan leaving through the door first, Changbin following steps behind him, Jisung tossed a handful of gunpowder from his pouch into the inn behind him as he followed. The building exploded and caught fire quickly, beginning to crumble around everyone still inside as the three pirates calmly made their way down the street.

“Get ready to cast off,” said Chan in Korean as they boarded the ship. “Bin, you get him to the bed, find him some real clothes, make sure nothing’s broken, me and Sung will get us out of the bay.” Changbin nodded helping Chan get the boy stood up on the deck and mostly carrying him towards the cabin. Jisung and Chan set about getting the ship into the open ocean.

“What about those British idiots? We leaving their ship?” asked Jisung eyeing the other pirate ship in the bay.

“We’re sure to come across them again if they manage to keep themselves alive for long,” said Chan, “technically we don’t have a real reason to blow them up. We can blow them out of the water some other time.”

Minho kept a careful eye on the pirate that had set him down propped up against the headboard of the bed. The room was large and roomy and was probably the captain’s cabin. The pirate was digging through a chest full of clothes and tossed a pile onto the bed.

“Want to clean up?” asked the pirate gesturing to a bathtub, “or just wipe down?” Minho desperately wanted a bath, wanted to scrub until his skin came completely off and it must have shown in his face because the pirate nodded and went to the tub. He left Minho alone for a bit while he got the tub filled up then helped Minho into the tub and out of the clothes.

“You want to keep that bastard’s jacket?” asked Changbin and Minho hesitated. It was a nice jacket, there was no telling if he would be allowed another one, he probably wouldn’t, so he nodded. Changbin set it aside and then tossed the pants he had been wearing out the window. Minho would be more worried, except that Changbin had clearly set pants on the bed for him to change into.

“Anything hurt that needs tended to or just bruises?” asked the pirate, Bin if the captain was calling him the right name. Minho shook his head quickly.

“Can you talk or do you just not want to?” Which was a strange question. Minho wasn’t supposed to talk. Not without express permission from his master, and these pirates were ruthless. Minho didn’t want to be on their bad side.

“Do. Do you need permission to talk?” asked Changbin hesitantly and Minho nodded quickly.

“Okay, you don’t have to ask for permission to talk,” said Changbin shaking his head. “We expect you to talk. I’m going to get food for you if you don’t need help.” Minho shook his head quickly. He could wash himself. Changbin nodded and stood up, leaving the room behind him. Minho scrubbed violently at his skin until it was red all over. It had been years since he’d been allowed to properly try and scrub himself clean, it wouldn’t get rid of everything that had happened, everyone that had touched him, but Minho felt a little better. Changbin didn’t comment on the state of his skin when he returned with food, just helped him out of the water and into the pants on the bed.

“Here,” said Changbin handing him a bowl, “eat, I’m going to put bruise cream on your bruises. It should help.” Minho didn’t question him, just took the bowl. Why the captain wanted him cared for he didn’t know, but it was a nice change so he was going to let it happen as long as they were planning to keep being gentle.

“I’m Changbin, by the way,” said Changbin, “our captain’s Chan, he’s your captain too now, and the youngest is Jisung, he’s the first mate. Do you have a name?” Minho nodded.

“One you want to go by or have you got a new name?” asked Changbin.

“Minho,” said Minho quietly and Changbin nodded.

“You are Korean then, don’t just speak the language,” he said and Minho nodded.

“Me and Jisung are both Korean too, Jisung speaks Spanish fluently and he and Chan both speak English. Chan’s dad was Korean we think but his mom’s Australian,” said Changbin nodding. “You know that place the Brits are sending off all their criminals.” Minho nodded. He’d met a couple of Australian pirates. There weren’t very many since they mostly stuck to their land prison, he’d met a couple Australian slaves too, they were always tougher than most of the others and normally meaner. Which made sense with the ruthless pirate captain that held his master down while he ordered his flesh burnt. But it didn’t match with the gentle way the pirate had carried him through the town and had made sure his crew took care of him, with the way the captain had asked him how he wanted vengeance carried out against his master. Minho didn’t want to think too hard on it. It was all the same, every master had different specifications, Minho would just have to learn Chan’s. They’re alone in the cabin for quite a bit longer and Minho’s glad that he told Changbin he wanted to keep his old master’s jacket because the night was cool and he needed the extra warmth. Light footsteps pattered quickly towards them and the cabin door opened up to reveal Jisung joining them. He had both ears pierced much like Changbin did, though he sported quite a few more in his left ear than Changbin did, a sea green jewel shaped like a tear drop hung from a chain around his neck, the only jewelry he wore other than his earrings, his swords and knives hung from his sash, that only made it clear that despite Changbin being the shortest of the three crew members, Jisung was probably the smallest over all. Jisung tugged his bandana off his head and started ditching his knives and swords once he entered the room.

“You look better,” said Jisung looking Minho over and nodding. “Not as pale. That’s good. Hyung, Channie-hyung’s taking first watch, he said he’s waking you instead of me tonight so we should get some sleep.”

“He woke me last night,” said Changbin frowning, “it’s your turn.” He started slipping off his rings and his sword and pistol setting them all on one of the shelves. Were the crewmembers sleeping in here too? Was Minho expected to sleep with all of them. That wasn’t unusual, but it was very odd that it would be with them all in the captain’s cabin.

“Yeah, but I maybe sorta had a thing while we were in the inn,” said Jisung grimacing. “I’d be fine to take my turn, but you know how hyungie is.” Changbin’s brow pinched in concern as he looked over Jisung.

“You’re alright? Any headaches? How tired are you?” he demanded immediately and Jisung batted his hands away when he tried to check for himself that the youngest was alright.

“I’m fine, Changbin-hyung,” complained Jisung, “I’ll be even better if I manage to actually sleep tonight. Now seriously, let’s sleep, if we’re not at least getting ready for bed when hyung comes to check in with everyone he’s going to do that thing where he’s very disappointed in our inability to follow orders.” Changbin grimaced but tugged his boots off, Jisung’s own boots following quickly.

“You need sleep too, Minho,” said Changbin nodding. “You’ll heal faster if you let your body rest.” Which was probably as close to an order to get off the bed as he was going to be given. But before he could move Jisung had pushed the blankets on the bed back and handed Minho an extra pillow before pulling the blankets back up.

“You’re shaking, hyung, why is he shaking?” asked Jisung turning to Changbin.

“He’s probably cold, just use the extra blanket,” said Chan from the doorway and Minho jumped slightly and held his breath, worried about what would happen now. How had he missed the captain joining them? Chan didn’t do anything though, other than help Jisung get the extra blanket and spread it out over the bed.

“Changbin, got you clothes and food, right?” he asked Minho who nodded quickly.

“And a bath,” said Changbin nodding. “No broken bones, though there’s some pretty awful rope burns on his wrists, might scar.”

“Neat, we’ll be scar buddies,” announced Jisung immediately holding up one of his own wrists for Minho to see. Minho did his best not to stare horrified at the thick scare that wrapped around Jisung’s wrist. Chan chuckled and pinched Jisung’s cheek fondly. Jisung didn’t fight him, didn’t act annoyed, just allowed it and smiled slightly at his captain.

“Minho’s probably not ready to be proud of his scars,” said Changbin hesitantly.

“Okay, yeah, but like, scar buddies,” insisted Jisung moving over towards the window seat and climbing up into it.

“You hated yours for years, Sung,” said Chan shaking his head and grabbing another blanket as Changbin joined Jisung in the window, wrapping tightly around him. Jisung wiggled until he was comfortable, setting his head on Changbin’s shoulder. Chan shook the blanket out to settle over them.

“It’s not that cold, captain,” muttered Changbin eyes already sliding shut.

“Oi, let me love you,” insisted Chan ruffling Changbin’s hair fondly. “Sleep, Bin, I’m waking you tonight.”

“Sung said,” agreed Changbin yawning and then falling silent, his breath evening out.

“You’re okay, right?” asked Chan looking at Jisung.

“I’m good, hyungie, you worry too much,” said Jisung yawning as well.

“If you need to see Mark-hyung I need to know,” said Chan.

“I know, we’ve been over this. I’m alright. It wasn’t even that bad,” said Jisung shaking his head. “It was just like vague images of the immediate happenings. It’s all good, I’m just tired.”

“Okay,” said Chan nodding. “You know where to find me if you need me.” He turned to Minho then.

“Changbin called you, Minho?” he asked. And Minho nodded quickly.

“I’m Chan, that’s Jisung,” said Chan nodding. “Welcome aboard the Levanter. If you need anything wake one of them or scream, I’ll hear you. This is all on board the ship, if you see someone else on board I need to know because they aren’t supposed to be here. You need to get some rest and to a healthier state of being before you can take part in the night shifts, so don’t worry about being woken up. Try to get some sleep.” It didn’t sound like an order, it sounded like he cared, which was ridiculous. Still Minho nodded and the captain left the room again, pausing to set both his crew mates’ pairs of boots against the wall nearest the door. He vanished back to the deck of the ship, to keep watch over her until it was Changbin’s turn to take over. Minho tried to fight sleep, wanting to be a ware for when the captain inevitably joined him in the bed and took what was rightfully his. Minho hated it, but he was used to it, expecting it, he’d had too many owners to count at this point, he’d had pirates in the past and every other sailor under the sun, the crew of the Levanter wasn’t different. Shouldn’t be different. Still he never woke in the night once his exhaustion got the better of him and he fell into a deep sleep. When he woke in the morning the bed beside him was cold and the sun was starting to peek on the horizon. He sat up carefully trying to figure out why he was alone and still clothed. Changbin and Chan had switched out at some point during the night and Minho had slept through it. Chan was the one on the outside of the window seat now, holding tightly to Jisung, both of them sleeping peacefully. Minho figured the best thing to do would be to go back to sleep until one of them woke him to give him orders.

It’s weird sailing on the Levanter. The three of them are all perfectly nice to Minho and insist he eat with them and they don’t ever touch him in anyway. There’s no pain, no cruel words, they treat him like a person and within a few weeks Minho’s fairly certain he’d do anything to keep them being nice to him. He gets a turn taking a night shift once he’s feeling a better and Chan decides he looks healthy enough, Jisung gets him up into the rigging and teaches him how to man the sails and tie all the knots and everything he may possibly need to know to sail. Minho bites down the fear that rises in him as they climb up, unwilling to show fear and even more unwilling to defy a direct order and Chan had directly told him and Jisung for Jisung to teach Minho how to do everything. It’s easy to exist on the Levanter and Minho finds that he might be something close to happy. He can’t see his ribs anymore, his skin is starting to tan golden in the sun, and he has muscle in his arms and legs for the first time possibly ever. It’s Chan that gives him a sword and a knife but Jisung is the one that teaches him how to use them and how to play dirty in a fight, how to survive and not get captured. And for the first time Minho begins to wonder if Chan hadn’t taken him from his old master to become his new master. He smashes that thought to the back of his mind quickly, that’s how you got yourself killed. But the boys keep treating him like a person and keep going out of their way to make him feel happy and safe and they always always cram into the window seat even though it doesn’t fit three of them so that they’re not sharing the bed with Minho. It’s little things like the three of them making sure he knows how to sail and how to defend himself, that they bought him a pair of boots at the next port they stopped in, that Jisung and Changbin both insist on calling him hyung when they realize that he’s older than both of them, all the little things that add up and don’t make sense unless they really don’t see him as the captain’s slave. Before long Minho’s been sailing on the Levanter for half a year and he’s content to keep sailing on the Levanter the rest of his life. It’s the closest to freedom he thinks he’s ever been. He doesn’t ever address Chan but he’s pretty comfortable in knowing that if he did the older boy wouldn’t respond to anything other than captain from him and would probably cry if Minho called him master, which meant Minho made a point not to directly address the captain. He wasn’t really expecting life to change. He wasn’t expecting to have to make use of the fighting skills the other three were teaching him, but they were a pirate ship, so it made sense that there would be piracy involved. But Minho had expected to be sent back to the room, to be told to lock himself in and hide under the bed, like every master before had told him, trying to keep him from being found as he was often the most valuable item on the ship. Still when they pulled up on a trade ship in the dark of night Chan didn’t send him to his room, he tied the ship in place, handed Minho a gun and told him to stay by the wheel in case someone got a lucky shot, to do what he had to do in order to make sure the ship was kept safe and him as well. The three of them swung over to the trade ship and chaos and noise exploded in the night. The Levanter was silent on the water and faster than should be possible, there was magic involved, Minho could tell but he had no idea what or how and didn’t want to risk asking. But the silence and speed of the Levanter combined with the skill of the other three boys had them taking over the other ship impossibly quickly. Then Minho was helping move over chests of goods and barrels of treasure, while Changbin tied the crew to the mast. They were Spanish sailors and Minho couldn’t understand what any of them were trying to say but he assumed they were begging. Jisung was chatting cheerfully and excitedly at Minho in Korean paying them no mind even though he was the only one of the four of them that spoke fluent Spanish. Minho was glad that Chan and Jisung were both helping him get the treasure over to the deck of their ship. Once Chan had deemed they had pulled everything they could use over he called them back to the deck, Changbin joining them pausing only to turn the ship’s own cannons on it to make it dead in the water.

“Drop the sails! Let’s leave the poor bastards in our wake!” called Chan, the other three immediately moving to climb the rigging and unfurl the sails, impossible wind catching them immediately and sailing them off deep into the night. Minho dropped back to the deck as quickly as he could, eager to not have to be up in the rigging longer than he needed to. Jisung however stood up, balancing on the beam and turned his face to the wind before loosing an excited cheer of victory. Chan laughed shaking his head, as he steered them off deeper into the ocean, following a path that only he seemed to see. Changbin laughed on the deck and whooped excitedly jumping a bit.

“First raid in six months!” he yelled.

“Nothing like victory to get your blood pumping!” agreed Jisung sliding down the mast to join them on the deck. “How are we divvying up, hyung?”

“Spices and clothes that don’t fit you are getting put in the hold, we’ll trade them for supplies at the next port, food needs stored, alcohol can be sorted tomorrow. Otherwise split it even,” called Chan still steering as Changbin and Jisung started digging through the barrels and boxes.

“Help me get this one below deck, hyung?” asked Changbin and Minho moved immediately to help carry everything down to the hold where it would be safest. Once all the goods were below Chan and Jisung shoved barrels at both of them, full of jewels and coins of several kinds.

“They were fucking rich merchants,” said Jisung.

“Probably blood money,” agreed Chan nodding. “Disgusting fuckers but it benefits us, yeah? Oi, Min, you need a bag, right? For the next time we’re in town.” He tossed Minho a satchel and Minho caught it looking at it stunned and then looked at Chan. Surely the captain didn’t intend to give him the barrel that he and Jisung had indicated, didn’t mean for him to get a cut of the plunder, not just a little either, but a fair cut. He and Jisung had split it evenly four ways. That was unheard of for pirates to split things evenly, muchless that they were giving an even cut to a slave. Unless Chan really hadn’t stolen him, unless they really did mean he was a full member of the crew. He didn’t say anything, not wanting to say the wrong thing, but he did follow Changbin and Jisung to where they kept their barrels, setting his with theirs.

“Coming to drink and dance, Minho-hyung?” asked Changbin. The last thing Minho wanted to do was be around drunk pirates.

“Maybe,” he said hesitantly.

“Go on, hyung, I’ll be up in a minute,” said Jisung waving Changbin ahead, “Minho-hyung probably isn’t super fond of alcohol.” Changbin nodded and headed back up to the deck his and Chan’s laughter ringing in the night. Jisung turned to look at Minho.

“You looked confused, hyung,” he said leaning against one of the supply boxes. “And it wasn’t about Chan-hyung not taking a bigger cut, was it?” Minho shook his head.

“Why did I get a barrel?” he asked hesitantly worried that the answer wasn’t going to be what he wanted.

“Because you helped take the ship,” said Jisung nodding. “You know we would drop you off at any port you wanted, right, hyung?” Minho looked at him startled.

“But, Jisung, that doesn’t make sense,” he said shaking his head. “I don’t understand.” He didn’t want to hope, didn’t want to believe these pirates wanted him as a person and not a slave. Jisung nodded looking sad.

“We didn’t make ourselves very clear did we?” he asked. “We weren’t stealing you from your master when we took you with us, hyung. You’re not stuck here, Chan-hyung doesn’t own you. You’re free. The Levanter is a pirate ship, but it’s not just a pirate ship, this is our home and anyone that lives on it is family. You’re not a slave, hyung.” Minho crumpled at that, curling in on himself, crying for the first time in years.

“Oh, oh fuck, I’m sorry, please don’t cry,” said Jisung crouching down next to him, flailing slightly unsure if he was allowed to touch Minho to help comfort him or not.

“No, no, happy tears,” said Minho, “I. You. I didn’t think. I thought I was going to die a slave, Jisung.”

“Oh god, hyung, please can I hug you?” asked Jisung and Minho nodded quickly. Jisung wrapped his arms around him tightly and Minho actually felt safe. Felt home.

“Do you want us to take you to a town, hyung?” asked Jisung once Minho had stopped crying.

“No. Where would I go?” asked Minho. “I want to be here, with you three. With freedom. If I try to go live my life I’ll just get dropped off at an auction anyway. Rather be a pirate.”

“Oh good. I’d have missed you,” said Jisung hugging him tighter. “Please don’t leave us.”

“Can I ask why captain’s asked so much about my past then?” asked Minho hesitantly. Jisung sat back looking at him surprised.

“We’re finding the fuckers that kidnapped you and sold you into slavery in the first place,” said Jisung, “even if we have to torch every ship from here to Korea to do it.” Minho’s mouth dropped open. They were getting him revenge? No. Justice. They were getting Minho justice. He felt like crying again. He needed to confirm that. Needed to hear it from Chan. He pushed himself to his feet and hurried up to the deck. Chan and Changbin were passing a bottle of rum back and forth between them laughing and singing together.

“Oi, Min, thought you’d want to go to sleep, is Sungie still below?” asked Chan looking up at him with a smile.

“Are you hunting down the captain that kidnapped me?” he asked. Chan blinked at him looking disoriented.

“Yes?” he said, “of course. Didn’t you know that? I swear I told you that. I’ll stop if you don’t want us too.” Minho moved closer to them, he’s not entirely sure when he started trusting them, but he did.

“Don’t stop,” said Minho shaking his head. “But when we find them. I want to be the one to slit his throat.” Chan nodded.

“Course,” he said offering him the bottle of rum. Minho looked at it, hesitated, and then wrapped his fingers around the neck of the bottle and took a swig of it. It burned going down, but it felt like freedom. Jisung joined them on deck, taking the bottle from him and pulling him to sit fully in the circle, leaning against his shoulder as he took a drink himself.

“Ay, how’d your first true pirate experience feel, hyung?” asked Changbin grinning at Minho. Minho smiled back at him.

“Good,” he said, “it felt really good.”

“You’re a true pirate now,” said Chan brightly, “welcome home I guess.”

“Thanks,” said Minho softly smiling. Changbin drank greedily from the bottle before passing it to Chan and launching into a song Minho didn’t know. Jisung laughed and jumped to his feet pulling Minho up with him to dance and for the first time in Minho’s memory he danced for himself for freedom and he found he loved it.

**Author's Note:**

> so i have like a legit plan for this one. (shocking i know. me a plan? am i sick?) 
> 
> this is as usual unedited. i'm not apologizing it is what it is. it'll be edited eventually. 
> 
> um. other kpop bands do exist in this world and will be included as pirates. but they'll probably not be tagged in the fandom tags because it is stray kids focused.  
> but nct for sure will show up. so will ateez other than that we'll see as i write what happens. 
> 
> i'm not sure when the next one will be done. i posted this instead of homework tonight. 
> 
> you can thank thesunshinedragon for getting this tonight because i almost posted it earlier this week and then chickened out but thesunshinedragon and i were commiserating homework together and somehow i got here. thanks bro <3 
> 
> pray for me y'all i've got an essay due in the morning that i haven't started and it's 1:30 am here (: why do i do this to myself????


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